Last weekend, President Biden asked the Israeli Prime Minister to release Tel Aviv’s hold on Palestinian tax money. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced Israel was rejecting the request on Friday. The White House has continued to provide Israel with unconditional support even as Tel Aviv has snubbed several requests from Biden and other senior administration officials.
Barak Ravid reported in Axios on Thursday that Biden and Netanyahu held a “difficult” call the previous weekend. One point of contention was Tel Aviv withholding tax revenues collected from Palestinians, which Israeli authorities collect on behalf of the Palestinian Authority (PA).
“Biden asked Netanyahu to accept a proposal that the Israeli prime minister raised himself several weeks ago: to transfer the withheld tax revenues to Norway for safekeeping until an arrangement can be found that will assuage Israel’s concerns that the funds could reach Hamas,” Ravid reports. “A US official and a source with knowledge of the call said Netanyahu backtracked and said he doesn’t think this is a good idea anymore. He told Biden he doesn’t trust the Norwegians,” Ravid added.
Netanyahu’s about-face angered Biden. “Biden pushed back and said the US trusts Norway’s proposal and this should be enough for Israel to trust it too,” the President said, according to Ravid’s sources. “Biden told Netanyahu that he should face the hardliners in his coalition on this issue like he is dealing with political pressure from Congress about the war in Gaza.”
“After a few minutes of discussion, Biden told Netanyahu he expects him to solve this issue, adding “this conversation is over” and ended the call,” Ravid writes. “The feeling was that the president is going out on a limb for Bibi every day and when Bibi needs to give something back and take some political risk he is unwilling to do it,” one US source told Axios.
Biden is concerned that a financial collapse of the PA will lead to conflict in the West Bank. The White House is also pushing Tel Aviv to allow the PA to govern Gaza after the war ends. However, Netanyahu has explicitly ruled out that possibility.
On Friday, Smotrich, who denies the existence of the Palestinians, posted on X that Tel Aviv was denying Biden’s request. “We have a lot of respect for the USA, our best ally in the world, and for President Biden, who is a true friend of Israel,” he posted on X. “But we will never leave our destiny in the hands of foreigners, and as long as I am the Minister of Finance, not a single shekel will go to the Nazi terrorists in Gaza.”
Since October 7, the White House has made several requests of Tel Aviv, including a reduction of civilian deaths in Gaza, allowing more aid into the besieged enclave, and de-escalation of tensions with Hezbollah. The Israeli government has snubbed the president’s requests. Still, the Biden administration has remained steadfast that it will not condition the $3.8 billion in annual military aid Israel receives on Tel Aviv meeting some of the president’s requests.
Kyle Anzalone is the opinion editor of Antiwar.com, news editor of the Libertarian Institute, and co-host of Conflicts of Interest.
The tail is wagging the dog.
Netanyahu is a War Criminal, as is his Cabinet, so Biden needs to stop talking to them, tell them to go to where the sun don’t shine, stopping all aide to Israel, or Biden can take the heat as a War Criminal himself.
We do have the butcher of Gaza and Genocide Joe, both are war criminals, Genocide Joe is also the butcher of the Ukrainian massacre. He keeps the Ukrainians fighting Russia until they are annihilated to the last man.
We give and give money endlessly, Israel ignores, and denies us and we still keep giving money? Somebody needs a doctor…
Requests are made to DJs. Demands with conditions or consequences are for leaders.
Israel collects taxes from the Palestinians and decides who ends up with it. Now Israel just needs to start letting their subjects vote, oh and stop killing them too.
Release it for what??? Where would it be spent??? Gee, Biden shows he has a heart. Isn’t that great??
It is amusing to watch the Israelis and Americans in friendship without trust. Maybe they are insane enough to trust.
On Friday, Smotrich, who denies the existence of the Palestinians, posted on X that Tel Aviv was denying Biden’s request. “We have a lot of respect for the USA, our best ally in the world, and for President Biden, who is a true friend of Israel,” he posted on X. “But we will never leave our destiny in the hands of foreigners, and as long as I am the Minister of Finance, not a single shekel will go to the Nazi terrorists in Gaza.”
As long as you kissed our ass before you told us to go fuck ourselves our commitment will remain unwavering and ironclad.
“this conversation is over”
Biden: “I said this conversation is over!… Hello.
Hello – Are you still there?”
I would like to hear a response from those slippery Norwegians, who aren’t trustworthy.
The Israelis probably figured out that Biden is trying to steal it to send more weapons to Kiev.